Circuit-breaker-operating system.



No. 732,009. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903. W. B. POTTER i C. D. CLARK. CIRCUITBREAKER OPERATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11| 1902.

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a; I Inventors. Wi Hi am Bloomer.

@Tmc Witnesses. j ClarenceDClork.

UNITED STATES Patented June 23, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. POTTER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, AND CLARENCE D. CLARK, OFBERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUlT-BREAKER-OPERATING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,009, dated J une23, 1903.

Original application filed October 3l, 1900, Serial No. 35,003.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. POTTER, residing at Schenectady, countyof Schenectady, State of New York, and CLARENCE D.

5 CLARK, residing at Berkeley, county of Alameda, State of California,citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Circuit-Breaker-Operating Systems, of Which thefollowing is a lo specification.

Our invention relates to circuit-breaking devices; and it consists inproviding such a device with an actuating device and with meanscontrolled by the flow of current in au electric circuit for bringingthe actuating device and the circuit-breaking device into operativerelation with one another.

The present application is a division of our application, Serial No.35,003, tiled October 2o 3l, 1900, in which the present invention isapplied to a motor system in combination with a braking system therefor.In this application We aim to cover the particular combination specifiedas our invention irrespective of the character of the operating systemin connection with which it may be used.

In embodying our invention in practical form We provide thecircuit-breaking device with an Vactuating device operatively con- 3onected to any suitable operating system, and in connection with theactuating device we employ some means. whereby it will ai'fect thecircuit-breaking device only in case current is flowing through the samewhen the actuating device is operated. By this arrangement We areenabled to secure animmediate openiug of the circuit-breaker wheneverthe actuating device is operated while current is still flowing in thecircuit in 4o which the circuit-breaker is included, while if thiscircuit has been already opened at another point the circuitbreakingdevice will not be operated. The actuating device which is shown in thedrawings is a plunger which is attached to a piston in a cylinder and isadapted to be operated by airpressure. The circuit-breaking device whichWe have shown is an automatic circuit- -auxiliary armature and pivoteddog.

Divided and this application filed January 11, 1902. Serial (No model.)

breaker provided with a tripping device carrying a member arranged to beprojected into 5o the path of movement of the actuating device whenevercurrent is iiowing through the circuit-breaker contacts. Theelectricallyactuated member, which is arranged to be projected into thepath of movement of the actuating device, consists, in the particularconstruction which we have illustrated, of a pivoted dog mounted on thetripping device and connected to an auxiliary armature capable of beingattracted by the overload-coil 6o of the -circuit-breaker a'ud therebytilted into the path of movement of the plunger, which constitutes theactuating device.

In the operation ot our invention Whenever the plunger is actuated whilecurrent is flowing it will strike the dog, depressing the trippingdevice of the circuit-breaker, and thereby releasing the switch-lever.It', however, current is not dowing through the circuit-breaker when theactuating device is op- 7c erated, the dog will be out of the path ofmovement of the plunger and the device will be rendered inoperative toopen the circuitbreaker.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 75 a view in elevation of acircuit-breaking device provided With our invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the air-cylinder and plungerconstituting the actuating device. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the 8o Fig.4 is a view showing, on alarger scale, the mounting of the pivoted dog.

The circuit-breaker may evidently be of any desired type, and we haveillustrated our invention iu connection with one of the types now incommon use, this particular circuitbreaker constituting thesubject-matter of a patent to W. B. Potter, No. 533,083, granted January25, 1895. In this apparatus the bridging contact d is held closedagainst the contacts d by a toggle d2, which constantly tends to openunder the tension of a strong spring d3. A series coil d4 has a pivotedarmature d, on which is pivotally and adjustably mounted a trippingdevice or detent d6 to lock the toggle with the contacts closed. Anabnormal current energizes the coil d4, which attracts the armatureagainst'the tension of its supporting-spring di and releases the toggle,thereby allowing the spring da to throw open the switch. In applying ourinvention to this apparatus we provide an auX- iliary armature E,pivoted on the fulcrum of the armature d5 and free to be attracted bythe coil d4. It has a rock-arm e, which is connected by link e'vwith apin extending from the upper end of a movable member or dog F, pivotallysupported on the end of a bar G and adapted to be tilted by the movementof the armature E. The bar G is attached to the detent d6. A lightspringfretracts the dog against a stop g when the coil d4 is notenergized. The air-cylinder H, which constitutes the actuating device,is supported adjacent to the coil d4, preferably bymeans of a bracket71, attached to the piece upon which the circuit-breaker D is mounted.The upper end of the cylinder is connected with a pipe I, which may beconnected to a suitable source of air-supply. In the cylinder is apacked piston L, having a piston rod or plunger IWI projecting throughthe lower head II' of the cylinder. A helical springN abuts against theunder side of the piston. Its lower end is supported adjustably fortension preferably by the head H', which may be cupped and screwed intothe lower end of the cylinder and held by a locking-nut h'. The end ofthe plunger may be provided with a head m. In the side of the cylinderis an exhaust-port h2.

The operation of our device is as follows: The armature d5 is not inliuenced by a normal current in the coil d4; but the auxiliary armatureE is attracted and tilts the dog forward so long as the current remainsturned on. When air is supplied to thepipe I, the plunger M will beforced downward, and in case current is flowing through thecircuitbreaker the plunger in descending will strike the dogE` and drivedown the bar G, thereby operating the tripping device d and releasingthe toggle of the circuit-breaker. The spring d3 will thereuponinstantly open the switch.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of .theUnited States, is-

1. In combination, a circuit-breaker, an actuating device for securingthe operation of said circuit-breaker, means for operating saidactuating device, and means controlled by the current owing through thecircuitbreaker for rendering the actuating device operative to open thecircuit-breaker.

2. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker, a tripping devicetherefor, an actuating device for operating the tripping device, andelectrically-controlled means for bringing the tripping device intooperative relation with the actuating device.

3. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker, a tripping devicetherefor, an actuating device for operating said tripping device, amember carried by the tripping device and arranged to be projected intothe path of movement of the operating device, and an electromagnetoperatively connected to said member and having its winding connected inthe circuit in which the circuit-breaker is included.

et. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker, a tripping devicetherefor, an actuating device for operating said tripping device, a dogcarried by the tripping device and adapted to be engaged by saidactuating device, and an electromagnet operatively connected to thecircuit-breaker circuit for actuating said dog.

5. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker, a tripping devicetherefor, a dog mounted on the tripping device, an actuating device foroperating the tripping device, and means for maintaining said dog in thepath of movement of the actuating device so long as current is passingthrough the circuit-breaker.

6. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker having an overload-coil,a tripping device therefor, a dog mounted on said tripping device, anauxiliary armature inuenced by the overload-coil of thecircuit-breaker,a connection between said armature and said dog, and anactuating device arranged to engage the dog when the auxiliary armatureis attracted by the overload-coil.

7. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker provided with anoverload-coil, a tripping device therefor, a dog pivotally mounted onsaid tripping device, an auxiliary armature influenced by theoverload-coil, a rock-arm on the armature, a link between the rock-armand the dog, and an actuating device for engaging said dog.

S. In combination, an automatic circuitbreaker, a tripping devicetherefor, an actuating device comprising a plunger operated byair-pressure, a member carried by the tripping device and arranged to beprojected into the path of movement of said plunger, and an auxiliaryarmature for actuating said member.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 21st and 31stdays of December, 1901.

WILLIAM B. POTTER. CLARENCE D. CLARK. Witnesses for Potter:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, MARGARET E. WooLLEY. Witnesses for Clark: W. T. Huss,S. E. KEARNEY.

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